Adjustable valve setting with motor control

ABSTRACT

An implantable medical device is disclosed that includes a valve body and a valve rotor adjustable with respect to the valve body. A tool can be utilized to determine and control a position of the valve rotor with respect to the valve body. The tool can include a valve body position reader, a valve rotor position reader and a valve rotor position controller to determine a valve setting for the device and adjust the valve setting as desired.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.12/614,580, filed on Nov. 9, 2009, and entitled “Adjustable ValveSetting with Motor Control,” now U.S. Pat. No. 8,241,240, the contentsof which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

This disclosure relates generally to surgically implanted physiologicalshunt systems and related flow control devices. More particularly, thepresent disclosure relates to a position indicator and adjustment toolfor such shunt systems having variable pressure settings for the one-wayflow control valves controlling the flow of Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF)out of a brain ventricle and preventing backflow of fluid into the brainventricle.

2. Description of Related Art

A typical adult has a total of about 120-150 cubic centimeters (cc) ofCSF with about 40 cc in ventricles in the brain. A typical adult alsoproduces about 400-500 cc/day of CSF, all of which is reabsorbed intothe blood stream on a continuous basis.

Sometimes, the brain produces excess CSF or there can be a blockage ofthe normal CSF pathways and or absorption sites resulting in a conditionknow as hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is a condition of excessiveaccumulation of CSF in the ventricles or brain tissue. Hydrocephalus canresult from genetic conditions, from trauma to the brain or as a personages.

Excessive accumulation of CSF, due to hydrocephalus or other causes,manifests itself as increased pressure within the brain. Whatever thecause, over time, this increased CSF pressure causes damage to the braintissue. It has been found that relieving the CSF pressure istherapeutically beneficial. This relief is usually performed by drainingCSF from the ventricles.

Patients with hydrocephalus normally require, at least over some timeperiod, continuous drainage of excess CSF to maintain normal CSFpressure in the brain. Excessive CSF accumulated in the ventricles ofthe brain is typically drained away from the brain using a shunt system.

Where hydrocephalus is a chronic condition, the shunt system typicallydrains the CSF into the patient's peritoneal cavity or into thepatient's vascular system. Such shunt systems typically have a catheterimplanted in the ventricle of the brain. The catheter is connected to afluid control device which is in turn connected to a catheter whichempties in to the patient's peritoneal cavity or into the patient'svascular system. An example of a fluid control device is shown in U.S.Pat. No. 5,637,083 issued to William J. Bertrand and David A. Watson onJun. 10, 1997 entitled “Implantable Adjustable Fluid Flow ControlValve”, the teaching of which is incorporated herein in its entirety byreference. Current fluid control devices include an inlet connector, anoutlet connector and a valve positioned between the inlet connector andthe outlet connector. The valve includes a mechanism to control fluidflow through the valve. In some instances, the mechanism includes amagnet embedded within the valve. Rotating a rotor or otherwise shiftingof the rotor position changes the internal configuration of themechanism. Changing the internal configuration of the mechanism producesa variety of pressure or flow characteristics for the valve. As theinternal configuration of the valve changes, the pressure or flowcharacteristics of the valve change.

In use, the valve is subcutaneously placed on the patient's skull. Thecatheter going to the patient's ventricle is attached to the inletconnector. The catheter going to the patient's peritoneal cavity orvascular system is attached to the outlet connector. In this way, adirection of flow is established from the inlet connector through thevalve to the outlet connector. Changing the internal configuration ofthe mechanism by coupling the external magnet to the internal magnet androtating the external magnet effects a movement internal to the shuntand produces a variety of pressure or flow characteristics through thevalve.

It is desirable to have a number of different settings in order toachieve different pressure and/or flow characteristics of the valve. Aproblem with current adjustable valves is that once implanted, it isdifficult to determine the setting of the valve and/or adjust thesetting of the valve. Having more settings for the valve only makesdetermining and/or adjusting the valve setting more difficult. With someadjustable valves, x-ray images are used to determine the current stateor post adjustment state of the valve. By requiring an x-ray, it is timeconsuming and costly to determine and adjust the valve setting, as wellas not being in the best interest of the patient due to X-ray exposureissues.

SUMMARY

Concepts presented herein relate to determining and/or adjusting asetting for an implantable medical device. In one embodiment, the deviceincludes a valve body and a valve rotor adjustable with respect to thevalve body. A tool can be utilized to determine and control a positionof the valve rotor with respect to the valve body.

The tool includes a valve body position reader, a valve rotor positionreader and a valve rotor position controller. The valve rotor positioncontroller includes a stator having a plurality of stator coils and adriver. The valve body position reader determines an orientation of thevalve body and the valve rotor position reader is configured todetermine a position of the valve rotor with respect to the valve body.The driver is electrically coupled to the stator to provide current tothe stator coil to alter the position of the valve rotor.

In another aspect, a system includes an implantable medical devicehaving a valve body and a valve rotor adjustable with respect to thevalve body. The valve rotor includes a permanent magnet. The system alsoincludes a positioning tool having a valve body position reader, a valverotor position reader and a valve rotor position controller. The valverotor position controller includes a stator with a plurality of statorcoils and a driver. The valve body position reader and the valve rotorposition reader determine an orientation of the valve body and aposition of the valve rotor with respect to the valve body. The driveris electrically coupled to the stator to provide current to the statorcoils in order to selectively position the valve rotor with respect tothe valve body.

In another aspect, a method includes providing a positioning tool havingan excitation coil, a sensing coil, at least one magnetic sensor and astator with a plurality of stator coils. The positioning tool is placedproximate to an implantable medical device. The implantable medicaldevice includes a valve body and a valve rotor. The valve body includesa resonant circuit and the valve rotor includes a permanent magnet. Theresonant circuit is energized using the excitation coil and returnenergy is sensed with the sensing coil. An orientation of the valve bodywith respect to the tool determined based on the sensed energy. Aposition of the valve rotor with respect to the positioning tool isdetermined using the at least one magnet sensor. A position of the valverotor with respect to the valve body is then determined based on theorientation of the valve body with respect to the tool and the positionof the valve rotor with respect to the tool.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an adjustable shunt system.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of components in a valve bodyposition reader.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of components for a valve rotorposition reader.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of components of a valve rotorposition controller.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a method for determining an orientation of avalve body with respect to a tool.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a method for use in calculating a valvesetting.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a method for use in adjusting a valvesetting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an adjustable shunt system 10including an implantable flow control device 12 (e.g., a shunt) and anelectronic valve reader and adjustment tool 14. The device 12 includes avalve body 16 and a valve rotor 18 that is adjustable with respect tothe valve body 16. Fluid is allowed to flow through the valve body 16from an inlet connector 20 to an outlet connector 22 depending on aposition of valve rotor 18 with respect to valve body 16. The valverotor 18 defines a number of unique settings to alter pressure and/orflow characteristics of fluid through device 12. Valve rotor 18 can beof different configurations, for example being rotatable with respect tovalve body 18 or being adjustable linearly with respect to valve body18.

Tool 14 includes a valve body position reader 30 that is configured todetermine a position (i.e., orientation) of valve body 16 with respectto the tool 14. In one embodiment, valve body 16 includes at least oneresonant circuit. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, two pairs ofresonant circuits (or coils) 24A and 24B are coupled to the valve bodywith a fixed orientation. In one example, each resonant circuit can beformed of a capacitor and an inductor. Pair 24A includes two circuitsspaced apart from a longitudinal axis 26 of the valve body 16 while pair24B is positioned on an opposite side of valve rotor 18 from pair 24Aand includes two circuits on either side of longitudinal axis 26. Asdiscussed below, the valve body position reader 30 can include one ormore coils to excite (i.e., energize) and sense return energy from thepairs of circuits 24A, 24B. To this end, valve body position readersenses energy 30 from circuit pairs 24A, 24B to determine theorientation of valve body 16 with respect to tool 14. In one example,valve body position reader 30 can compare differences in return energyfrom pair 24A and 24B to determine the orientation of valve body.

Once the position of valve body 16 with respect to tool 14 isdetermined, a position of the valve rotor 18 with respect to the tool 14can be determined using a valve rotor position reader 32. In oneembodiment, valve rotor 18 includes an embedded permanent magnet 34 thatforms a rotor of a brushless motor. In one embodiment, the motor canfurther be sensorless.

Valve rotor position reader 32 can include a plurality of magneticsensors (e.g., magnetometers) to sense the position of permanent magnet34 and thus valve rotor 18. Given the position of the valve body 16determined by valve body position reader 30 and the position of rotor 18as determined by the valve rotor position reader 32, a valve setting fordevice 12 can be determined. In one embodiment, tool 14 includes asuitable memory device for determining the valve setting based on thedetermined orientation of valve body 16 and position of valve rotor 18.

To drive valve rotor 18 to a different position and thus change thevalve setting of device 12, a valve rotor position controller 36 forms astator and includes coils to position valve rotor 18 with respect tovalve body 16. These coils may or may not be the same as those used todetermine the orientation of valve body 16. In this respect, theposition of valve rotor 18 can be adjusted continuously, in oneembodiment, so that a large number of settings can be provided, eachsetting providing a unique pressure setting. In one embodiment,adjustments of the valve rotor 18 can be 1° or less. In otherembodiments, the adjustments can be approximately 2°, approximately 5°,approximately 10° and/or combinations thereof. In any extent, the numberof different adjustments can correspond to a large number of uniquesettings for device 12, for example five settings, 10 settings, 20settings or more, each setting providing different pressure and/or flowcharacteristics for device 12.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of valve bodyposition reader 30 within electronic valve reader and adjustment tool14. In the embodiment illustrated, valve body position reader includesan excitation coil 100 and a sensing coil 102. In an alternativeembodiment, coils 100 and 102 can be the same coil. In still a furtherembodiment, more coils can be used to excite circuit pairs 24A and 24B.Excitation coil 100 is tuned to excite circuit pairs 24A and 24B. Afterexcitation, sensing coil 102 is used to sense energy returned by thecircuit pairs 24A and 24B so as to determine the orientation of thepairs 24A, 24B and thus an orientation of valve body 16 with respect totool 14.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating valve rotor position reader 32within electronic valve reader and adjustment tool 14. The valve rotorposition reader 32 is constructed using a plurality of magnetic fieldsensor modules 301-304. In one embodiment, the magnetic field sensormodules 301-304 are magnetometers. Each of these four sets of magneticfield sensor modules 301-304 contain three separate sensors so as tomeasure the full, three-dimensional vector magnetic field detected bythe particular module at its location. The reader 30 also contains ananalog-to-digital converter module 321 and a combined magnetic fieldsensor module 311 to electronically process the signals generated by themagnetic field sensor modules 301-304 to obtain digital measurementscorresponding to the observed magnetic field. The reader 32 may alsocontain an extra magnetic field sensor outside of the range of the rotormagnet used to measure the ambient field strength of the earth. Thisvalue may be used later to correct measurements provided by the othersensors.

These digital measurements of the observed magnetic field aresubsequently processed within a processing module 320 to determine thelocation and orientation of the permanent magnet 34 within a field ofview for the reader 32. The processing module performs operations uponthe measured magnetic field data to determine the magnetic fieldgenerated by the magnet 34 while subtracting an estimate for ambient andenvironmental magnetic field also observed by the magnetic field sensormodules 301-304. The processing performed in determination of thelocation and orientation of the magnetic indication device can beperformed in different ways. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,879,297; 6,129,668 and7,334,582 all describe approaches to determining locations andorientations of medical devices; the contents of which are herebyincorporated by reference in their entirety. Processing module 320 canalso communicate with valve body position reader 30 to determine thevalve setting of device 12 based on the position of valve body 16determined by reader 30 and the position of valve rotor 18 determined byreader 32, as discussed below.

The reader 32 may further contain a memory card reader 231 for acceptingcomputer readable storage media. In one embodiment, this storage mediamay include compact flash, start media, secure digital, and memory stickmemory cards for providing the reader 32 (and thus tool 14) replaceablememory containing data usable by the reader 32. For example, theimplantable flow control device 12 may permit fluid to flow at aparticular pressure setting that corresponds to a particular setting onthe valve. When the reader 32 determines the valve setting, the datafrom the memory card may be used to display the corresponding pressuresetting. Because the valve-to-pressure setting may vary from particularmodels of implantable flow control devices, the use of a memory cardcorresponding to the model of the flow control device will permit thereader device to easily display pressure values for a wide variety offlow control devices without needing to maintain all of the valve topressure setting data for all devices at one time.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of valve rotor position controller36. The controller 36 includes a stator 400, a control circuit 402 and amotor driver 404. If desired, valve rotor position controller 32 canalso include a detection module 406. Motor driver 404 is coupled to aplurality of stator coils 410-412 for positioning of valve rotor 18. Anynumber of stator coils can be used, such as in a range of one to tenstator coils. In a further embodiment, six stator coils are used. Inparticular, control circuit 302 provides current to the driver 304 inorder to apply magnetic forces to permanent magnet 34. These magneticforces cause magnet 34 to rotate, thus altering a valve setting ofdevice 12. Valve rotor position reader 32 can continuously monitor theposition of magnet 34 so as to adjust device 12 to the desired valvesetting.

In an alternative embodiment, detection module 406 detects voltages instator coils 410-412, which can be used to determine a position of valverotor 18. Position determination and control of a motor is furtherdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,326,760 and 7,443,128, the contents ofwhich are both hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

In one embodiment, drive currents to the stator 400 are selectivelyapplied and removed by motor driver 404 as directed by control circuit402. Using detector module 406, a resulting electromotive force (EMF)voltage is sensed in each of the stator coils 410-412 after the drivecurrents are removed. From these EMF voltages, the position of the valverotor 18 can be determined with respect to the tool 14. Once the valverotor position is determined with respect to the tool 14, calculationscan be made to determine the position of the valve rotor 18 with respectto the valve body 16.

For example, as illustrated, each of the stator coils 410-412 representa motor phase for driving valve rotor 18 with respect to valve body 16.The three phases are illustratively separated by 120° and can bepositioned to be equally spaced around the valve rotor 18. Byselectively providing drive currents to the stator coils and switchingthe drive currents off, EMF voltages are induced in the stator windingsby the permanent magnet 34 of valve rotor 18, which is indicative of theposition of the valve rotor 18 with respect to tool 14. If the drivecurrents are provided with a phase shift from one phase to the nextphase, this results in a shift between the resultant EMF voltages inrespective stator coils 410-412. Detector 406 is used to sense the EMFvoltages and provide an indication of the voltage to control circuit402.

The frequency of the drive current pulses is chosen as a function ofboth the characteristics of the motor and its current status. After thedrive current is turned off, for instance at a time t₀, there is astabilization period δt, after which the induced voltage in each motorphase is measured, for instance at a time t_(m). From these measuredinduced voltages, the valve rotor position can be determined. By way ofexample, the rotor position in a two-axis system can be determined fromthe induced voltages measured in a three-phase synchronous motor usingthe following formulae:U _(a) =V1;U _(b)=(V2−V3)/√3where U_(a) and U_(b) are two voltages proportional to the twocomponents of the rotor position vector in said two-axis system and V1,V2, and V3 are the measured induced voltages in the three motor phases(i.e., stator coils 410-412), respectively. It should be noted howeverthat two measured induced voltages only are actually required since thethird one can be determined using the equation V1+V2+V3=0. Based on thevoltages, a measured angular position θ is for valve rotor 18 isdetermined by using the formula θ=arctg (U_(a)/U_(b)). Other methods,well known to those skilled in the art, may also be used, such asderivation of the determined position or calculation of the change inrotor position as a function of time.

FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart of a method for use of electronic valvereader and adjustment tool 14. The method for determining the positionof valve body 16 with respect to tool 14 begins by placing 501 the tool14 proximate the device 12. Next, the circuit pairs 24A and 24B areexcited 502 by excitation coil 100. In particular, excitation coil 100can be tuned to energize circuit pairs 24A, 24B. Return energy from thecircuit pairs 24A and 24B are sensed 503 and a determination 504 of theorientation of valve body 16 with respect to tool 14 is made from thesensed energy.

FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart of a method for calculating a valvesetting for device 12 once the tool 14 has determined the position ofvalve body 16. To determine the valve setting, the position of valverotor 18 with respect to tool 14 is determined by the reader 32 byestimating background magnetic fields 601. Next, observed magneticfields 602 are detected from all sources. The background magnetic fieldsestimate 601 is subtracted from the observed values 602 to obtain aposition and orientation for the valve rotor 18 based on magnet 34. Thedetected magnetic field measurements and processed position andorientation for the valve body 18 are repeated at a rate of severaltimes per second. Given the positions of the valve body 16 and the valverotor 18, a valve setting is calculated 604 for device 12. The valvesetting is indicative of flow characteristics through device 12. Oncethe setting is determined, the tool 14 can be used to adjust the settingas desired.

FIG. 7 illustrates a flowchart of a method for adjusting the position ofvalve rotor 18 with respect to valve body 16. Based on the valve settingcalculated 604, a desired position for a new valve setting can bedetermined 701, so as to alter the pressure and/or flow characteristicsthrough device 12. In one embodiment, pressure flow characteristics areknown such that a position of the valve rotor 18 with respect to thevalve body 16 corresponds to a particular setting. Once the desiredsetting is determined, the motor driver 404 can drive the stator coils410-412 in order to position the valve rotor 18 with respect to thevalve body 702. As a result, then, a large number of unique settings forthe implantable flow control device 12 can selectively be determinedand/or adjusted using tool 14, even while device 12 is placedsubcutaneously.

Although the present disclosure has been described with reference topreferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize thatchanges can be made in form and detail without departing from the spiritand scope of the present disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A positioning tool for controlling a valve rotor with respect to a valve body in an implantable medical device, the device defining a direction of flow from an inlet to an outlet, comprising: a valve body position reader including at least one coil configured to excite a circuit on the valve body and sense energy from the circuit after the circuit is excited to determine an orientation of the direction of flow for the device with respect to the positioning tool; a valve rotor position reader including a magnetic sensor to sense a position of the valve rotor with respect to the positioning tool; a processor coupled to the valve body position reader and the valve rotor position reader and configured to determine a position of the valve rotor with respect to the valve body based on the orientation of the device and the position of the valve rotor with respect to the positioning tool; and a valve rotor position controller adapted to alter the position of the valve rotor with respect to the valve body.
 2. The positioning tool of claim 1 wherein the valve rotor position reader is configured to calculate the valve rotor position using magnetic sensors.
 3. The positioning tool of claim 1 and further comprising a stator configured to measure valve rotor position based on back EMF in a plurality of stator coils.
 4. The positioning tool of claim 1 wherein the valve rotor is rotatable with respect to the valve body.
 5. The positioning tool of claim 1 wherein the valve rotor position reader includes a plurality of magnetic sensors for determining the position of the valve rotor.
 6. The positioning tool of claim 1 wherein the valve body position reader includes a first coil to energize the circuit in the valve body and a second coil to determine the position of the valve body.
 7. The positioning tool of claim 1 wherein the valve body position reader includes a single coil to energize the circuit in the valve body and to determine the position of the valve body.
 8. The positioning tool of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to calculate a valve setting for the implantable medical device from a plurality of valve settings, the valve setting being indicative of pressure and/or flow characteristics of fluid through the device.
 9. The positioning tool of claim 1 wherein the valve rotor position controller includes a plurality of stator coils within the tool such that, when the tool is positioned proximate the device, the plurality of stator coils are positioned equally about the valve rotor.
 10. The positioning tool of claim 9 wherein the plurality of stator coils include six stator coils that can be positioned equally about the valve rotor.
 11. The positioning tool of claim 9 wherein the valve rotor position controller further includes a control circuit and a driver configured to provide drive currents to the plurality of stator coils to induce electromagnetic force voltages in the valve rotor.
 12. A method, comprising: providing a tool having an excitation coil, a sensing coil and at least one magnetic sensor; placing the positioning tool proximate an implantable medical device, the implantable medical device having a valve body and a valve rotor adjustable with respect to the valve body, the valve body including a resonant circuit and the valve rotor including a permanent magnet; energizing the resonant circuit using the excitation coil; sensing energy form the resonant circuit with the sensing coil; determining an orientation of the valve body with respect to the tool based on the sensed energy; determining a position of the valve rotor with respect to the positioning tool using the at least one magnetic sensor; determining a position of the valve rotor with respect to the valve body as a function of the orientation of the valve body and the position of the valve rotor with respect to the positioning tool.
 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: providing a stator with a plurality of stator coils in the tool; providing drive currents to the stator coils in the tool to adjust the position of the valve rotor with respect to the valve body.
 14. The method of claim 12, further comprising: providing drive currents to the plurality of stator coils to induce electromagnetic force voltages in the permanent magnet of the valve rotor.
 15. The method of claim 12 wherein the valve rotor is rotatable with respect to the valve body.
 16. The method of claim 12, further comprising: determining a position of the valve rotor with respect to the tool using a plurality of magnetic sensors.
 17. The method of claim 12, further comprising: calculating a valve setting for the implantable medical device from a plurality of valve settings, the valve setting being indicative of pressure and/or flow characteristics of fluid through the device.
 18. The method of claim 12 wherein the plurality of stator coils include three stator coils that can be positioned equally about the valve rotor. 